Calling all Vancouver fashionistas! If you’re looking for a career in fashion, we’ve made it easy for you by narrowing down some of the most fashionable jobs in Vancouver. All you have to do now is polish up your resume and cover letter, and apply!

Role: Fit ModelJob Type: Part-timeJob Description: Obakki is currently looking for a Female Fit Model. The Fit Model is responsible for trying on fit samples and provide feedback on fit, comfort and wearability. Ideal candidates will be available during regular office hours on short notice. Each shift will be a minimum of 2 hours and pay is hourly on an as needed basis.

Role: Seasonal Fashion InternJob Type: InternJob Description: Rimpy Sahota Apparel is currently looking for volunteer intern candidates and she’d love to hear from you! Rimpy is looking for seasonal interns to join her for the fall/winter season of fashion. Rimpy Sahota Apparel is a made in Vancouver, fashion-forward brand that’s incredibly social media driven, with a large, engaged following.

Role: Brand AssistantJob Type: Full-TimeJob Description: The Brand Assistant position entails assisting the Brand Manager to maintain and grow a portfolio of clothing brands in the company. The individual must be able to work in a fast paced environment with an emphasis on collective and collaborative teamwork.

Role: Wholesale Fashion RepresentativeJob Type: Full-TimeJob Description: Buur Fashion is looking for a Wholesale Fashion Representative to join its team full time, from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm. The successfull candidate will be hands-on with the day to day activities in all areas of internal sales and customer service.

Role: Bra DesignerJob Type: Full-TimeJob Description: The Designer at lululemon creates world-class athletic apparel that is acknowledged as leading in innovation, design, function, fit and quality. Under the mentorship of the Senior Designer and Design Director, you create and develop the line from the inception of ideas to the production of garments. You are responsible for designing and executing seasonal collections that reflect lululemon’s ethos.

Job: Engineered Knits DesignerJob Type: Full-TimeJob Description: The Engineered Knits Designer is an expert in their field and creates knit apparel or accessories that are leading in the world of athleticwear through innovation, design and function. This role will report to the Senior Designer or Design Director and work cross-functionally with Product Development, Global Fit, Raw Materials and Merchant teams. Develop and mentor design assistants.

To say this season’s hottest trends are tempting is a serious understatement. The best part is, the key trends for the season have hit both fast fashion and high fashion retailers, so regardless of your budget you can get your hands on this season’s ‘it’ trends which include animal prints, combat boots, puffer coats, plaid and shearling. Scroll down to see our trend pics for this fall and winter and shop them for yourself.

Warm and FuzzyShearling is having a major moment this year. We love this cute feminine teddy bear style from H&M because it’s very on trend and you don’t have to break the bank to purchase it.

Puffer CoatOnce the cold weather inevitably arrives, a puffer coat will be your best friend. Whether you’re stalking the mean streets, or just battling the elements a puffer that’s equal parts fashionable and practical is a must-have.

Combat BootsAnother trend we’re super excited to embrace this season is the combat boot trend. We adore this hip yet edgy monochrome number from Dr. Martens — they’re super comfortable, practical and far from ordinary.

Plaid PantsWe’re definitely stocking up on chic, plaid pants this fall. We love the edgy nod to the 90s, and not to mention it’s refreshing to see something other than black pants during fall.

Animal PrintThis trend has finally made a strong comeback, and although in our opinion animal print is timeless, it’s great to see that designers have fully embraced this trend and now you can find animal print everything from tops and blazers to skirts and boots.

Life is full of highs and lows, and the same goes for your fashion career. You’ll have times where you feel you’re exactly where you want to be and have a sense of accomplishment. In other cases, you might be at a part in your career where you feel stuck or need more of a challenge to continue growing. Whether it’s looking for that next opportunity, or finding ways to grow with a company you love, having to refresh your career is nothing to be ashamed of. If you’re looking for that je ne sais quoi for your career check out our advice for getting back on the right career path!

1. Set Goals, Have A Plan

That one piece of advice everyone in your life has given you, from your dad to your financial advisor of having a plan is by no means a gimmick. Setting career goals and building an outline of some sort of plan -five years, 10 years or even three months, is extremely important to working towards your ideal of success. What’s the key to the master plan working? Knowing that you can never really plan out life, and the plan is more of a template.

2. Network Is Your Networth

Talking to your friends and family is always a great way to get advice. But sometimes looking to your professional network to discuss career planning might be more beneficial. Your colleagues and superiors can give you a perspective based on their first-hand experience of you on the job, and the industry you’re in. Whether it’s feedback on your strengths and opportunities or insights on potential opportunities, your professional network is a goldmine of potential.

3. Work With A Recruiter

If you’re looking to make a move from your current organization, you might want to try connecting with a recruiter. Once you get to a certain level in your career, the best companies and opportunities are usually filled by a recruitment firm or consultant. Not all recruiters and processes are the same, so we recommend finding someone who specializes in your industry and is dedicated to getting to know you, in order to find the right fit for you. Starting on our job board is great for finding your new career in fashion and retail!

4. Higher Education

Sometimes that promotion or new opportunity requires a bit more training or education and it’s never too late to head back to class! Some people choose to study a full degree or diploma program, while others might prefer taking a couple courses or getting a certification. There’s an endless supply of free online training that can easily be completed after work, and some companies even offer internal development courses. Whatever way you choose to go, know that education really is power!

5. Find A Mentor

One piece of advice any senior level manager or executive will give you, is to find a professional mentor. This is someone who has insight into your industry or company and that can provide you with advice, inspiration and knowledge to help you grow in your career. Look to people within your industry, organization or network who either you would like to learn more from or have enjoyed communicating with. Big organizations often have mentorship programs senior managers and executives participate in, so be sure to take advantage of that.

We all know that a trick to killing it in your fashion career (or any career) is who you know, no matter what your career path is. To get to the top, you need to make sure that you’re talking to the right people and making yourself known. It doesn’t matter how qualified you may be, who you know could make or break your chances of landing that job you want or the promotion you’re after. This is why networking is crucial for the success of your career.

If you’re unsure of what networking is, it’s when people in your area of expertise from different companies meet up to talk business, new developments, and just to meet and talk to different people in the field. Think of it like Facebook or LinkedIn, you always want to grow your network.

Sometimes it can feel scary to put yourself out there, but just remember to always be yourself and sell who you are. Don’t forget that everyone you network with, was once in the same position you were in, not knowing many people and a bit timid to reach out.

Think of a networking event like a potential interview. You want to be informed, well dressed and talk up all your strengths and accomplishments. It’s also important to ask questions that are thought-provoking. Use all of the knowledge you have about your profession to make people want to know you more, potentially hire you or keep in touch.

If you’re unsure where to start, there are a tonne of networking opportunities throughout Canada. In Vancouver, there are companies like Vancity Business Babes, where you can network and hone in on your business knowledge. Throughout Canada, there are many different networking events that can be found through Eventbrite, Facebook and even LinkedIn.

These events could be panel talks followed by a mingling reception hour, restaurant meetups, or a workshop (Style Nine to Five puts on Fashion Career Workshops from time to time). It was through that workshop where I met Style Nine to Five founder Christie Lohr and from then she guided me and I now have an amazing job. Through networking, you can find out all the details of what your prospective career path can look like, or they can help you decide what your passions are. They are a great way to connect to a community and maybe even find someone who can be your mentor.

I know you want a quick and easy solution to this answer but a lot of it has to do with you. Don’t forget, anything is possible and you can create the life you want. Know you’re good enough at what you do to go for it. Change things up! Create the role you want.

First off, before anyone decides to exit from an existing job or career, I think it’s important to ask yourself, “did I do all that I could to make the most out of my position?” I strongly believe that trying to go above and beyond your role, and creating opportunities to do different tasks outside of what’s expected of you is a great way to regain a sense of satisfaction in what you do. Find new ways to add to your current role as if you were working in the role you wanted.

Are you working for a company that you love, but maybe not in the role you want? Have you considered creating a role you want? Pitch the idea to your boss!

Beyond that, if you know it’s time for a change in career, but find it difficult to make a decision, boy can I tell you that I’ve been there! The bills always need to be paid, so oftentimes, taking the leap and quitting your job really isn’t the most feasible option. However, there are many ways to get started in exploring your secondary interests while you remain in your current position. For me, that meant starting my own blog so I could begin building up my own personal brand, as I knew that was highly important for the next stage in my career. It may be hard to find the time to do what we want to do part-time, outside of work, but it’s a great way to work towards our dream job. It’s all about making a commitment to do both if leaving your current job is temporarily out of the question!

Are you wanting to start your own business like I did with Style Nine to Five? Did you know I quit my day job as a recruiter for Le Chateau to start Style Nine to Five only three weeks after I had the idea?! I had a light bulb moment sitting at my desk one day. Tomorrow I will answer “how do I start my own business?” And depending on where your passions, experience, and skillsets lie, there may be several paths to take.

When we were younger, we all had our own aspirations as to what we wanted to become. Maybe a doctor, a director, an astronaut, or even a princess; yes life was simple back then. As our childhood slowly transitioned into adulthood, we became increasingly unsure of what we wanted to do with our lives and what careers to pursue. How exactly are we supposed to go about discovering our callings in life? Not all of us are fortunate enough to know from the get go what we want to pursue. AND THAT’S OK! It’s part of the process. Part of the dream.

From age six, wearing blue eyeshadow, fruit basket earrings, wild outfits and spiking my bangs straight up (behind my mom’s back), I knew I had a love for creativity. It’s always been in me. What has always been with you? Over the years I discovered it was fashion. I had to start somewhere, so I began my fashion career as a part time sales associate. The position exposed me to various aspects of fashion retail and also allowed me to develop my leadership skills. Because I was always motivated to go above and beyond what was expected from me, I was eventually promoted to a store manager position. Throughout my retail experience, I realized that I really enjoyed the human aspect of the job: working with a team, impacting individuals, meeting new people, and always thinking of creative ways to better my store’s results. When I transitioned into a buying position, I dealt with a lot more paperwork and realized that I missed the same human aspect that I previously mentioned. This led me to realize that perhaps human resources within the fashion industry was a good path for me.

No clue what industry you want to be a part of, let alone the exact job?

I’m a firm believer that there is always something that we each naturally gravitate towards. For me, that was fashion, but it could be anything. Where our interests lie is definitely the first and best indication of what industry we should explore. Take a moment to consider what you’re naturally good at. For me, it was my leadership and take-charge attitude that aided me throughout my life, but for you, that could be writing, merchandising, fashion designing, helping others or artistic abilities. Take time to become an expert in what you do and seek out positions that capitalize on those assets.

Ok, but where do you go from there?

I can’t stress the importance of trying your hand out at different things enough. Only through doing different things can you discover what you truly like and don’t like. It’s easy to assume what a certain job may entail, but actually experiencing the job is an entirely different beast. For example, I thought that I would really enjoy the position of a buyer. However, once I actually tried my hand out at buying and saw what tasks needed to be performed, I realized that buying was not for me. Sometimes, it takes recognizing what you don’t enjoy to realize what you do!

To employers and hiring managers recruiting for luxury brands such as Coach and Ted Baker, or designer labels and boutiques, it’s important to not overlook candidates from non-luxury. As a hired recruiter for companies such as these, so many times I’ve gone to submit an amazing retail candidate but because they don’t have certain luxury retail experience, they’re overlooked! And they’re probably the best ones. Great work ethic and character comes from all backgrounds. I started out at McDonald’s. That was my first job before jumping into a retail career.

What to look for in a non-luxury applicant:

1. Experience in a fast past retailer or big box retailer means they would have learned that ‘sense of urgency’, they can manage multiple employees and can handle high stress, fast-paced environments.

2. Companies such as Starbucks and McDonald’s offer excellent customer service training. Today’s world truly lacks customer service so you know you’ll be getting excellent candidates from there.

3. While overall ‘fit’ is important, don’t forget you can train new hires on your work and company culture and get them suited in your clothes. Look for a good attitude, amazing worth ethic and leadership experience whether it’s from a luxury background or not.

The convenience of shopping online has taken over. You can add items into your cart while lying in bed or watching TV, not to mention you don’t have to get out of your pyjamas or put makeup on. And we get it, sometimes you just don’t want to socialize. Online shopping trends have been growing steadily over the past few years. However, online shopping does have its downsides.

Going into a brick and mortar store has far more upsides than the inconvenience of leaving your home. Firstly, there’s no need to pay shipping charges or have to wait for your new favourite product to arrive. Why would you wait to wear that brand new LBD, when you can go pick one out, and wear it out for cocktails that same night? Especially if the item you order isn’t the right size; then you have to go return or exchange the item, and waste even more time.

How many times have ordered something to your house, only to find out it doesn’t fit and you need to bring it back? Going into the store gets rid of that hassle. In a store, you can grab all the items you would normally add to your online cart, and actually see if it works for you before taking it home.

You can actually feel the product. It’s the worst when you look online and wish you could feel the product. Will it be breathable? Will it have some stretch? What is the quality of the product? Is it going to be stiff and uncomfortable or will it actually be comfortable to wear? Shopping in stores takes all those questions away. You can feel the piece you want to buy, feel the quality, and start that emotional connection.

Let’s not forget the amazing staff that make the stores run smoothly. Each store is staffed with cashiers, salespeople, visual merchandisers, inventory processors and so many more. These employees work hard and care for the product before you take it home. Shopping in stores helps keep these people employed.

Next time you go to browse online, and add those items to your cart, think about the experience you can have shopping in-store instead.

Overcoming career burnout is not something they teach you in high school, nor is it an elective course in university. But the truth is, it’s probably one of the most important skills any adult should have. Since it’s not taught in school the sooner you can learn how to overcome career burnout the sooner you can learn to have a balanced work life, which is a key factor in overall success in your career.

Career burnout is a little different than overall burnout and far less harmful but the truth is, over time it can contribute to burning you out altogether. Generally, with career burnout you feel less motivated, inspired and passionate about your job and what you do daily. This can lead to poor performance, missed promotions and even the potential of being fired so the importance of mastering how to overcome career burnout is pretty clear.

Learning how to overcome career burnout isn’t something you can learn overnight and in fact, it incorporates a variety of skills that continuously need to be readjusted based on your current situation. As with most things in life you’re sure to always be working on overcoming career burnout but to get you started on the right track, here are our suggested ways to overcome career burnout.

1. Go On Your BreaksThis probably seems obvious, and it might be if you’re just starting out in the workforce but make it a mandatory habit to go on your breaks. Those of us who’ve been working for a while, especially those of us in an office setting, can find ourselves skipping out on breaks or taking lunch at our desks. Although a working lunch from time to time might be needed, they shouldn’t be encouraged. Taking time for lunch and even a quick 15 minute breaks gives you an opportunity to disconnect, refresh and refocus, increasing productivity. For those with an office job getting up their desks is also an opportunity to get some exercise in and boost circulation.

2. Set Professional Goals & Seek Career MentorThe second tip to overcome career burnout is a two-part process, all involving the progression of your career. The first thing you want to do is set professional goals or a career plan, and this is something we recommend as not just a way to overcome career burnout but an overall way to progress in your career. It’s important when setting these goals to look both at your current position and the growth you want to achieve within it, and your overall professional goals. We do this by building a three-month, six-month and 12-month career plan and just like overcoming career burnout this plan is something that may be readjusted throughout the years. Having these professional goals to work towards will help keep you motivated, and revisiting the plan quarterly will help to keep you excited and motivated along the way.

The best pairing to professional goals is a career mentor someone who can provide insight and coach you through your career journey. When looking for a career mentor, look at people in positions and industries that align with your goals or who’s had a career path that interests you. Beyond just providing you with basic career and growth advice, mentors can also give you tips on work-life balance and how to overcome career burnout.

3. Schedule Those Vacation DaysIt seems weird to jump to vacation days after discussing career planning, but while we were on the topic of work-life balance we thought we would. It may not seem obvious at first but taking time off of work does help you to overcome career burnout. Just like taking your short 15 minute breaks, scheduling time off is an even bigger boost to your energy and productivity levels. Whether you schedule an entire week off or tag a couple extra days onto a long weekend, getting time off to refresh and reset will go a long way to helping you overcome career burnout.

4. Turn Off During Time OffNow that you know how important taking time off is to the quest to overcome career burnout you should know you really should take the time off. Be it your scheduled day off, your lunch break or your week off on the beach, when you’re off the clock leave the office behind. Avoid answering calls, checking emails and doing anything work related so your mind has the chance to really turn off and recuperate during downtime. If by chance you have a job where you don’t have the option to fully turn off, try setting an hour here or there where you’re 100% disconnected to give you some time to yourself.

5. Perfect Your Time Management & Organization SkillA contributing factor to people fizzling out is a lack of organization and time management, so a good way to overcome career burnout is to brush up these two skills. We often times find ourselves panicking at work because we can’t find that file or we didn’t get that project completed in time. We can eventually find ourselves drowning in due dates and documents struggling to keep up. Before it gets to the extreme of total career burnout try working on your time management and organizational skills and even if you consider yourself a pro brushing up on them never hurt. There’s an infinity of personal development books and articles that can easily be found with a quick web search. If you’re more of the “learn by doing” type, some companies have directories of corporate resources with courses for development that can be great resources, or you can search the internet for free online courses. Whatever you decided we definitively recommended brushing up on these two skills if you’re trying to prevent or overcome career burnout.

Sometimes it happens. You’re working for a company that you love, in a role you enjoy and then you find yourself starting to think about finding something new and you consider looking elsewhere. There are many different reasons why this can happen. You may feel like perhaps you don’t necessarily actually like the company you work for as much as you might have thought, you’re not learning anything new, you’ve reached the top of the totem pole and there is no more room to grow. The reasons are endless, but whether or not you’re leaving on good terms or bad, you never want to burn your bridges.

Be professionalWhether you’re leaving out of anger or not, be cordial when you quit. Don’t say anything out of spite or something that can be used against you down the road. You may possibly want to use your current employer as a reference, so you will want to make sure your resignation process leaves no hard feelings.

Resignation letterEnsure you are not just resigning verbally or via email, make sure you type out a professional resignation letter. This protects not only yourself but your employer as well. In your letter, you want to thank your employer for the experience but let them know you will be moving on. Let them know when your last day of work is. Typically, two weeks is given, but depending on your position, more notice may be required.

Work out your notice as if you weren’t leavingYour work is a reflection of how your employer sees you as a person. If you are still working hard, and putting in the effort, it will show your employer that you still care even though you’re leaving. This is important because networking is key. Sometimes it’s all about who you know, and who they know. Even if you were a great employee for years, your notice period can leave a lasting impression.

Keep in touchIf you really valued the job you’re leaving, then stay in touch! Keep in contact with your old boss to stay up to date and ask them for advice. This person can become your mentor, and maybe even let you know when another career progression opportunity is available for you.

Style Nine to Five is a fashion job website that connects fashion industry employers and job seekers with the largest listing of fashion jobs in Canada, including a pre-screened resume database and expert advice columns.

Style Nine to Five contains the latest and most extensive listing of fashion jobs in Canada which attracts top employers and fashion industry job seekers alike.